Make No Beans About It..Legumes Aren’t Paleo!

I’d have to say that beans not being part of True Paleo living is one thing most of my clients have the most difficulty understanding.

Many people are at least aware that there is controversy over whether or not dairy is good for us, and the same goes for gluten and processed grains. Whether or not one agrees, of course, is a different story.

When someone asks me for the elevator pitch on Paleo, they nod along when I say ‘no white sugar’, and then often shrug their shoulders at the ‘no dairy and no grain’ bit, as they’ve heard that these may not be such hot things to eat.

But as soon as I get to the bean part- there’s a double take. “Wait…no beans? I thought soy was good for me. And no peanuts? But why? Some beans can be picked and eaten, as is… doesn’t that make them Paleo?”.

Not exactly. Good premise, though.

Just because something can be picked and eaten doesn’t make it a good option; poison mushroom, anyone?

Look at it this way: we all know and accept that beans cause gassiness. We’re taught that it’s a funny side effect and there are even children’s rhymes about it (beans, beans, good for your heart… and so on).

Well, guess what? That side effect is a very obvious sign that we are not digesting something properly. We are not supposed to be gassy.

Legumes are high in anti nutrient properties which leads to leaky gut, which leads to a very long laundry list of health concerns.

That is my elevator pitch, as the easy-to-read, easy-to identify with, basics.

Want the science? Go straight to the source, and read Dr. Cordain’s article and you can be sure your every last doubt about whether or not legumes are a healthy option will be quelled: